Technical Assistance Centers Provide ADA Guidance 

By Houkje Ross


Closing the Gap, Disabilities • October/November 1999


Technical assistance centers around the country are available to 

educate the public about the Americans with Disabilities Act 

(ADA) and increase understanding about specific rights under the law. Signed into law by President Bush in 1990, the ADA 

includes the right to employment, public accommodation, state and 

local government services, travel, and communication. 

Am I a person with a disability? Am I covered 

by the ADA? These are some of the most frequently 

asked questions, according to Marian Vessels, director of the U.S. Department of Education Region III 

Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center 

(DB TAC). Region III serves the Mid-Atlantic States. 

The center provides information and assistance on 

ADA legislation, as well as educational training and 

resources to the community. 

DB TAC receives calls from architects, contractors, state and local governments, employers, and employees. Vessels 

said, “We get a lot questions for information on interactions between 

laws,” such as the Family Medical Leave Act and ADA. 

People also ask for referrals to other resources that can lend support. Vessels often points them to the Centers for Independent Living, which are found throughout the U.S. and help people with 

disabilities foster independence. 

“This may include advising people on how to use or find transportation, how to find housing, or even developing advocacy skills. 

The centers work on more of a one-on-one case basis than we do,” 

Vessels said. 

“We often hear that complying with the law is costly,” Vessels 

said. “But what people often forget is that there are tax credits and 

deduction incentives to hiring people with disabilities, which makes it 

easier to provide accommodations.” 

The DB TAC is one of 10 regional centers in the United States. 

DB TAC is funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research and the U.S. Department of Education. 

To find an ADA Technical Assistance Center in your area, contact: 

1-800-949-4232 (voice/TTY) or visit http://www.adata.org. 

Other Disability Legislation 

•	 The Fair Housing Act: Prohibits housing discrimination on the 

basis of disability, race, color, religion, sex, family status, or national 

origin. Requires owners of housing facilities to make reasonable 

exceptions in their policies and operations to afford 

people with disabilities equal housing opportunities. Contact your local Department of Housing and 

Urban Development office. 

• Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act 

(CRIPA): Authorizes the U.S. Attorney General to 

investigate conditions of confinement at state and 

local government institutions such as prisons, jails, 

detention centers, juvenile correctional facilities, 

publicly operated nursing homes, and institutions 

for people with psychiatric or developmental disabilities. Contact: Special Litigation Section, Civil 

Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 202-514-6255. 

•	 Rehabilitation Act: prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by Federal agencies, in programs 

receiving Federal financial assistance, in Federal employment, and 

in the employment practices of Federal contractors. Contact: Office of Workers Compensation Programs, U.S. Department of Labor, 202-693-0035. 

•	 Architectural Barriers Act: requires that buildings and facilities are 

designed, constructed, or altered with Federal funds, or leased by 

a Federal agency, comply with Federal standards for physical accessibility. Contact: The U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance (Access) Board, 1-800-872-2253 or 1-800-993­

2822 (TDD). 

•	 Family Medical Leave Act: requires businesses with 50 or more 

employees to allow workers to take unpaid leaves of absence to 

attend to the health needs of family members. Contact: Employment Standards Administration, Wage and Hour Division, U.S. 

Department of Labor, 202-693-0066. 

•	 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act: protects 

people who have insurance coverage through employers or unions, 

including workers with insurance in self-insured plans. The law 

makes it possible to get coverage even when they change insurance 

or jobs. Contact: Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, 

U.S. Department of Labor. 1-800-998-7542.

Am I a person with a 

disability? Am I covered 

by the ADA? These are 

some of the most frequently asked questions. 

Office of Minority Health Resource Center	 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services